


Vignettes

by Gummicat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-02
Updated: 2014-11-02
Packaged: 2018-02-23 15:14:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2552213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gummicat/pseuds/Gummicat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of vignettes set during The Deathly Hallows from Draco Malfoy's point of view. Will not be entirely canon compliant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vignettes

A two storey fireplace loomed over the gathered assemblage, casting shadows along the length of the marble floor. The flames reflected dully off of the fading lacquer of the long mahogany table they sat at, illuminating the pale skin of the unconscious young woman levitating at its foot. Draco recognized her as a Hufflepuff. He thought she'd graduated Hogwarts the previous spring. She was a muggleborn, if he remembered correctly.

Amycus Carrow rose from his seat and lumbered towards her prone form, his eyes glassy and lips pulled up in a sneer. He fingered the hem of her skirt before pulling it up her legs, revealing plain cotton underpants. Next to his vacant seat his sister Alecto, deeply plunging robes accenting her meaty bosom, licked her lips. 

Draco, seated in between his parents, felt his stomach roil. His father watched the scene with unfocused eyes. His mother stared straight ahead at a fixed point on the opposite wall. Draco pressed his teeth together until they felt like they might shatter. He focused on the pressure in his jaw in a vain attempt to block out Amycus' roving hands. Bile climbed in his throat.

Amycus was fingering the zip of his trousers when Severus Snape entered the room. He paused over the threshold, lip curling when his eyes landed on the scene at the foot of the table. 

“Wassa matter, Sevvy? You want the first go?” Amycus' wheezing giggle filled the room. “Seen her around at Hogwarts an' wondered what it was like underneath all them robes, ah? Well, we can share. I don't mind none.”

With a flash of blue light Amycus was flung across the room into the wall. He ricocheted off and fell into a heap on the floor. The Death Eater struggled to his feet. His trousers had slipped down, letting his stomach hang over his waistband like a roll of rising dough. The entire room was silent as he stood with his hands balled into fists at his sides. Alecto jumped from her chair, knocking it to the ground as she spluttered curse words and half formed threats. She started towards Snape, though his wand was nowhere to be seen.

Before she had taken more than two steps, Voldemort entered the room on silent feet, tucking his bone white wand up the sleeve of his robe. ”That,” said the Dark Lord, in his cold, breathy voice, “is a Muggle's weapon. Are you a wizard, or are you not, Amycus?”

Both Carrows dropped immediately to the floor on their hands and knees and began babbling apologies. Draco could see Alecto's figure shaking as she did her best to melt into the floor. Voldemort glided to the head of the table but did not sit. 

“If you insist on acting like beasts, perhaps I should let Fenrir teach you the meaning of carnality.” The only sounds in the room were the whimpering of the siblings on the floor and the snap of sparks from fire. “You have been warned,” he said, “leave.”

Voldemort turned to the rest of the table and began to speak. His snake, Nagini, twisted herself up his torso and along his outstretched arm as he spoke. Draco didn't hear a single word his master uttered. Snape, settled in the chair to the immediate right of Voldemort, caught Draco's eye and then very pointedly clenched and unclenched his jaw. Draco tried forcing himself to breathe through his mouth in an effort to relax his face. Please let him leave soon. Please, please...

A sharp pinch of his thigh brought Draco quickly out of his reverie. He looked down in time to see his mother's hand return to her lap. 

“Apologies, my Lord, our boy has always been shy in crowds.” said Narcissa. Draco glanced up and down the table. All eyes were turned to him. Had the Dark Lord had been speaking to him? 

“Come, come now Draco, don't be humble,” came the cold voice, “It is, after all, you to whom we owe the death of Albus Dumbledore. It was you who so cleverly discovered and repaired the vanishing cabinets. You, who allowed our brothers and sisters passage into the castle that night. It is you that we shall praise!” Voldemort moved down the table, wrapping his cold arm around Draco's shoulders. Nagini's beady yellow eyes stared at as she coiled herself on the table in front of him. “Even if,” he murmured, “Even if Severus had to finish the job for you.” 

Draco felt his cheeks grow cold as the last of the blood seeped out of his face. Along the table were quiet sniggers and noises of hushed disapproval. His eyes darted first to his mother, who obstinately stared at her point on the wall. His father's eyes were downcast into his lap. 

“We thank our friends, do we not, Draco?” Voldemort went on, “What do you say to Severus?”

“Thank you,” he muttered, voice hoarse as if he hadn't spoken in weeks.

“For what, exactly, my dear boy.”

“For... for doing what I couldn't.” Up the table, Yaxley laughed.

“And why is it that you could not, Draco? Sentiment? Did you grow fond of the old man during your time at Hogwarts? Or... perhaps they've turned you against us. Against your family.” Lucius' eyes finally snapped up to his son.

“No,” Draco tried to say but it came out as a whisper. His father's eyes widened. He cleared his throat. “No, my Lord.”

“Prove it to us, Draco,” Voldemort said, sweeping his arm in the direction of the unconscious young witch. “Show your family your loyalty.”

“I-I don't...”

“Kill her.”

Draco's arm shook as he drew his wand from his robe. He looked desperately from the woman to Snape, who gave a minute nod. “Av-avada,” he stammered, pointing his wand, “Avada Kedavra”. Green sparks fizzled from the tip of his wand.

“Tsk tsk. You have to want it, Draco.”

“I...I...”

“Crucio.”

Draco closed his eyes, expecting pain, but it did not come. Instead a scream, in a voice Draco never imagined was capable of screaming, rent through the room. Lucius's body arched away from the chair as his eyes rolled back in his head. Draco could see his muscles convulse and contract underneath his skin. Beside him Narcissa's fingers were bloodless where she clutched the arms of her chair. After what Draco would later swear was a lifetime, Voldemort pulled his wand away. Lucius' scream faded into gurgles and moans as he collapsed back in his chair.

Draco's neck was slick with sweat and he was doing all he could to hold back the tears burning his eyes. “Avada Kedavra,” he choked out, flourishing his wand violently. Nothing happened.

Voldemort slid his fingers into Draco's hair, seizing a fistful of white-blonde strands and pulling, forcing Draco to tip his head back and expose his throat. Voldemort ran the tip of his wand along the pale blue vein there.“Perhaps,” he said, “it is the Black blood polluting your sensibilities. Have you taken after your cousins, or maybe your darling aunt Andromeda?” he released his hold on Draco and leveled his wand at Narcissa. “Maybe the mother is to blame...”

Draco saw the terror in his father's blanched face, saw the way his mother squared her shoulders ever so slightly. There was no longer a decision to make.

“Cru-”

“Avada Kedavra!”

The young Hufflepuff fell to the table with a soft thump.


End file.
